A family sues Joan after she traps their highly troublesome child in her chicken coop, after which he develops a mysterious malaise.A family sues Joan after she traps their highly troublesome child in her chicken coop, after which he develops a mysterious malaise.A family sues Joan after she traps their highly troublesome child in her chicken coop, after which he develops a mysterious malaise.
Photos
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOne of the few episodes of the first four seasons not directed by Ben Bolt, one of the show's original primary directors.
- Quotes
[a passenger sitting next to Martin on the train has just died. Martin has pulled the communication cord to summon help]
Conductor: I've never seen a dead body before. I'm not really sure what to do - I missed that day of training.
Dr Martin Ellingham: I think it's best we get a move on.
Conductor: But he's... you know, dead.
Dr Martin Ellingham: It's not a condition that's going to change the longer we stop here.
Conductor: Maybe we should say something.
Dr Martin Ellingham: He won't hear.
Conductor: He's probably gone to a better place.
Dr Martin Ellingham: Well at least *one* of us has.
- ConnectionsReferences The Departed (2006)
Next, Louisa's class is on a field trip to Aunt Joan's farm. One of the kids is an insufferable brat who climbs into the chicken coop and starts trying to hurt the poor animals! Joan is incensed and locks the kid, briefly, in the coop. Inexplicably EVERYONE seems mad at her and excuses the child for being an out of control jerk- face. Soon the boy starts barfing and folks think MAYBE it's related to his exposure to the chickens. In fact, the kids' parents start talking about suing--instead of addressing the problem THEY created! After all, they excuse his beastly behaviors and are hardly there to discipline and nurture him. Plus, they are really, really disagreeable and litigious jerks! In fact, they are SO disagreeable that they make Doc Martin seem positively nice and patient!!
As usual, there are additional plots and one involves Martin going to psychotherapy for his hemophobia. Unfortunately, he seems to want a miracle cure and is NOT the sort of person to look for insights or be able to self-appraise his life. Another plot is a strange case where a woman CLAIMS she can see and converse with her dead husband!
Overall, this is one of the more entertaining episodes of season four, though it did seem to overdue the 'blame Joan' aspect of the film-- as I cannot see anyone not wanting to slap the parents and the kid in this one!
- planktonrules
- Apr 26, 2015
- Permalink
Details
- Runtime46 minutes
- Color